This is a nationalization of PCT/SE00/02024 filed Oct. 19, 2000 and published in English.
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a cable coupling device that includes a body having a through-passing, cable-receiving passageway for receiving a sheathed conductor.
2. Description of the Related Art
A coupling location between one end of a cable and an associated connector is vulnerable in several respects, although perhaps primarily because the cable conductors can become exposed and corrode in an aggressive environment, so as to impair or break the electric connection between cable and connector.
There is a danger that water and gas will penetrate axially into the cable ends between the cable sheath and the conductor or conductors embraced by the sheath. When the conductor comprises a sheathed wire or its technical equivalent, ambient gases and liquids will, of course, be able to penetrate axially between the sheath and the wire. When the sheathed conductor, is comprised of a bundle of wires, gas and liquid will, of course, also be able to penetrate axially in between the wires and cause corrosion in the cable interior.
The vulnerability of the coupling location will, of course, also depend on the prevailing environment; couplings in an outdoor environment on land or on water are particularly vulnerable.
Although it is known to sealingly enclose the entire coupling location between cable end and connector, these known solutions are complex, expensive and difficult to establish, besides being troublesome.
One object of the invention is to provide a favourable connection between a cable conductor and a coupling means.
Accordingly, a further object of the invention is to provide a device that enables safe electric connections to be achieved and reliable encapsulation of the coupling region between a cable end and a coupling to be achieved with the aid of a simple structure that can be produced at low cost and that is easy to fit.
This object is achieved with the device having a body with a through-passing, cable-receiving passageway therein for receiving a cable, an electric contact having a passageway-part and a generally cup-shaped part fitted over an end section of the body such that the passageway opens into the generally cup-shaped part. The passageway-part, which also opens into the generally cup-shaped part for receiving the conductor of the cable and for being conductively connected thereto, is surrounded by a thick-wall part for crimping an inner wall of the passageway-part against the conductor. The body section is made of a resilient material at least in a crimping region thereof such that sealingly crimping the cup-shaped part of the electric contact around the body section causes a wall of the passageway to seal against an outer periphery of a cable inserted therein to prevent moisture from entering an interior of the cup-shaped part.
Further embodiments of the device will be apparent from the accompanying dependent claims.
The invention is based on the concept of threading respective cable end-parts through a coupling body which has a channel or passageway that corresponds to the cable, and connecting electrically to the connector an exposed end of an electric conductor provided in the cable. The body is comprised of a resilient elastic material. The coupling device has a generally cupped end-part which receives the cable-end and which is crimped such that the body will sealingly clamp around and against the sheath of the conductor radially inwards of the crimp. The crimping force is transmitted so as to press the sheath against the conductor wire and seal around its circumference. When the conductor includes a wire bundle, the crimp may also be caused to compact the wire bundle so as to make axial leakage therethrough difficult.
The crimping sleeve forms a sealing hat that is applied to the body and sealingly screens the channel outlet end and also sealingly encloses said cable-end and the exposed end of the conductor wire, said end being brought into electrically conductive contact with the crimping sleeve by crimping. The crimping sleeve may form a male electric contact or may be provided with a female electric contact.
The body may include two or more channels that each receive a single cable and which extend centrally through a resilient elastic body on which a generally cup-shaped crimping sleeve can be sealingly fitted. Moreover, a sealing sleeve may be provided whose internal circumference is able to sealingly connect with the outer circumferential surface of two mutually co-acting bodies, and sealingly bridge said bodies.